Christian T-Shirts & Mugs

You've seen the T-Shirts.

"Mom & Dad went to Hawaii

and all I got

was this lousy T-Shirt"

This came to mind yesterday afternoon as I was listening to the new Bishop for the West Ohio Conference* speak at Ginghamsburg UMC.

He spoke, in part, about the difference between Pilgrims & Tourists.  Pilgrims are on a journey to get to somewhere significant.  Tourists want to hit the sights they have seen on postcards and pick up a t-shirt or mug to prove they were there.

My mind almost always moves directly from words to images, and so it was perhaps inevitable that I could immediately see this T-shirt for sale at any number of Christian outlet stores:

"Jesus went to Calvary

and all I got

was this lousy T-Shirt"

In a judgmental moment, I added a postscript to the text on the shirt: '... and most days, to be honest, that was all I wanted out of the encounter'.

I was thinking of how tempting it is to experience what Christ has done as a tourist - or (perhaps even worse) as a member of an audience.

Jesus went to Calvary and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt

 - but that's not a complete story.

Jesus went to Calvary  - . . . and defeated Death and its power over me and all of Creation - and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt

Jesus went to Calvary - . . . and broke the power of Sin and mortally wounded the Adversary - and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt

Jesus went to Calvary  - . . . and opened to door to Life, and to a relationship with the God who made us - he went there and made his death an invitation to live as God's sons & daughters - and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt - 

We need more than spiritual souvenirs.  The world needs more Pilgrims who are going somewhere (to return to the Bishop's words)  "on purpose"  - and fewer Christian tourists.

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The new Bishop for West Ohio is Gregory Palmer.  If you have not heard him yet, I recommend you click on this link as an introduction: Bishop Gregory Palmer preaching on Isaiah - then spend a moment thinking about whether this faith is a spectator sport, or an invitation to be on the front lines fighting against sin & death in a world where the Kingdom sometimes seems very far off.

*(of The United Methodist Church)